United 5 Darlington 0
Match Sponsor: Wales & West Utilities
Matchball Sponsor: AM DOORS
United boss Paul Buckle was delighted with the way his team responded after the defeat at Accrington by producing United's biggest win at home for nearly twenty years in the league: 'We approached the game in the right manner today, we didn't do it last week and that result at Accrington really hurt because we pride ourselves on going about the game in the right way. You have to get the basics right, it doesn't matter if you are playing the top of the league or the bottom, it means standing up against your man, winning the scrap first, doing the right things and after that you earn the right to go and score five goals like we did.
'There was a platform there from the first minute, I felt we pressed the ball and we got right in amongst them. I think we would have had a lot of joy against anyone today in our division with the way we approached the game. To score five goals at any level you have to be thoroughly professional and even at 4-0 we were pushing for the fifth goal and more, we wanted more goals. This has been a very pleasing day.
'The substitutions today were made with Tuesday's cup match in mind. We lose Chris Zebroski for Tuesday and we are low on numbers so it was right to give Elliot (Benyon) and Tim (Sills) a run because one or both will be involved against Stockport. Wayne Carlisle and Lee Mansell also put a real shift in today, so to give them a rest at the end seemed sensible but the whole team played well today.'
Bucks also gave an update on the two Southampton loanees, Michael Poke & Jake Thomson, and the chances of keeping the pair beyond the January transfer window: 'I have spoken to Alan Pardew regarding both players and he is quite happy for us to keep them, we have got a good relationship with Southampton. As long it suites all parties Alan is happy for them to stay with us beyond January. I called him and gave him the rundown on Michael and Jake, even explaining why I left Jake out a couple of times, but he is happy for me to manage the two players how I see fit and he trusts what we are doing with his players. Southampton have been as good as gold to us. The two players are happy here and want to stay at Plainmoor.'
